The College Football Playoff Committee Has Nailed Its Biggest Controversy So Far

Baylor is not going to catch TCU. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images The first season of the college-football playoff has brought just as much controversy as the Bowl Championship Series system. The biggest issue is that Texas Christian University is ranked no. 3 and Baylor is ranked no. 6 in the playoff running, and if the season ended today, TCU would go to the playoffs even though Baylor beat TCU in head-to-head matchups.

But to say that Baylor should be in the playoff over TCU is overly slimplistic and completely ignores the purpose of the playoff-selection committee.

Plain and simple, the committee has nailed this one. TCU has been the better team all season, and it is the better team right now.

Consider the following. Here is the evidence for Baylor:

Baylor beat TCU head-to-head, 61-58, thanks to home-field advantage, having the ball last in a game where both teams scored frequently, and a controversial pass-interference call that set up a last-second, game-winning field goal. Still, a win is a win, and Baylor beat TCU.

Here is the evidence for TCU:

The two teams have played seven common opponents. TCU is 7-0 in those games, winning by an average of 27.3 points. Baylor is 6-1 in those games, winning by an average of 22.1 points, including a 14-point loss to West Virginia. In addition, TCU played four of those games on the road, while Baylor played four of those common opponents at home.

TCU's non-conference schedule included a 30-7 win over Minnesota. Minnesota is not a powerhouse, but it is an 8-4 team in one of the Power 5 conferences. Baylor did not play any non-conference games against other Power 5 conference schools.

TCU would be ranked 4th in the old BCS system, easily ahead of Baylor at 6th. TCU has an average ranking of 4.1 in the six computer rankings that were used by the BCS, while Baylor's average ranking is 7.5.

Nobody is discounting Baylor's win over TCU. That is a huge factor in favor of Baylor.

But to use the head-to-head as the only criterion is to completely ignore the mountain of evidence in favor of TCU — as if the other 20 games played by the two teams don't matter at all.

It is the committee's job to pick the four best teams in college football, not the team that won by three points in one home game in the middle of the season.

That's why TCU will be in the playoffs, and Baylor will be on the outside.